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Bastille Day Service

Hi, I'm planning my trip to Paris in mid-July and will be in the Tour Effel area to get on a cruise. However, I have heard that there will be a gigantic crowd there waiting to watch the fireworks, and then it will be chaotic after the event, around midnight.

My cruise starts at 8pm and ends at midnight. I am just wondering if it is possible at all to travel to the Tour Effel area by metro from le Marais district and back.

Will the metro stations be temporarily blocked by the police for crowd control? Will there be limited service? Will I be better off taking a taxi or not? Or does it look like we have to walk all the way? Really don't want to walk as we'll be dressed up for the dinner cruise!

Since you'll be in Paris on 14 July, I suggest you check at your hotel/apartment with locals who know about Metro service on Bastille Day. I understand your concern, but really can't imagine Metro stations being closed. OK, maybe the one at the Eiffel Tower. I get and understand the security thing. I'm in the US and on, let's say the 4th of July, EXTRA trains/subway cars, busses are put in service to handle the crowds in cities such as NYC, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington. Obviously, if you cannot find the Metro answer, taking a cab is the best best. Streets will probably be blocked off but at least you'll get close to the Seine docks. Walking? That's a long walk!

Yes, you will certainly have crowds at the Tower. No doubt about that. Have you thought of moving your dinner cruise to another night?

So, my answer would be take a cab to the Seine docks if in doubt on the 14th. Getting back to the Marais around midnight? Taxis will probably not be available--as in finding one. Hope the Metro/RER is running or wear comfortable shoes!

Hi Frank,
Thanks for your reply.
I have checked with various sources. The metro runs till 2am every night including the Bastille Day.
There is a RER station near the dock of the cruise and it takes about 7 mins to walk there.
However, after some consideration, we will probably skip the dinner cruise that evening because we don't want to feel rushed to get back from Versailles. We can always do another dinner cruise, sans the fireworks, with a cheaper price , right!
Cheers!

Bastille Day, July 14th celebrations in Paris make Metro/RER/Bus/taxi travel a complete circus. Arriving by Metro/RER to Tour Eiffel area early like at 8pm, you will be fine, you will have no issues. You will see plenty of police in body armor everywhere in the area, but transportation should be flowing normally this early, either on Champs de Mars or Trocadero (a beautiful spot from which to watch the fireworks).

After the Bastille day July 14 fireworks display though, all transportation crumbles. Getting into any Metro station in this third of Paris, will take 20-30 minutes of waiting (due to the queues just to get into the station). After that, I assume it'll take another 20-30 minutes to make it to the train platform to get onto a train.

There is no possibility of driving or getting a taxi in the area either, as pedestrians flood the streets after the July 14th fireworks in Paris. I would estimate about a million people are leaving the area on foot towards other areas of Paris. For example, I walked from Trocadero to Montparnasse after the last fireworks display, taking 45 minutes, and I believe that was the fastest way to get home. For half of that path, the streets were completely filled with pedestrians.

Thanks so much for this information. Exactly what I need to hear to cancel any celebratory events that evening as both I and my husband hate the crowds! If we just get back from Versailles and stay underground until we hit our station, that should be fine, right? We'll remember to get home before the mayhem starts